Photos: The Dirty Heads + Shiny Toy Guns 2.22.13 Best Buy Theater

Photos by Nicole Murphy

The Dirty Heads brought their southern California reggae-rock sounds to New York City last Friday at Times Square’s Best Buy Theater with co-headliners Shiny Toy Guns.

Los Angeles-based Shiny Toy Guns took to the stage first in celebration of their third studio album, III, after opening acts Midi Matilda and Oh No Fiasco. Frontwoman Carah Faye Charnow was simply captivating between her powerful vocals and consistent chemistry with her fellow Toy Guns. Whether she was front and center or off on the keyboards, Charnow had a way with the crowd.

Touching upon each of their three studio albums, their setlist hit its peak with “Le Disko”, a classic off their debut album We Are Pilots. Shiny Toy Guns wrapped up their set with a cover of “Major Tom” by Peter Schilling followed by another early-career classic “We Are Pilots”.

The lights went down around 11 p.m. for the Dirty Heads, a Huntington Beach quintet who are currently touring in support of their second studio album, Cabin by the Sea”. The Dirty Heads offered up a killer set featuring a unique fusion of rock, reggae and hip-hop stylee. Opening up with “Dance All Night”, a new single featuring Matisyahu in the studio, the Dirty Heads had the crowd moving from the start. Running through hit singles like “Stand Tall” and “Lay Me Down” the crowd was certainly not disappointed with the sounds, but a short set of just 55 minutes left many longing for more.

Shiny Toy Guns and the Dirty Heads have another two months together on Pure Volume’s “Tour Odyssey” before the Dirty Heads return home for the Cali Roots Festival Memorial Day Weekend.